Generating Bioelectricity from Traditional Food Processing Wastewater Using an Inoculum of Return Activated Sewage Sludge

Abstract

Mediatorless, two-chambered microbial fuel cells were developed using activated sewage sludge as the source of exoelectrogenic microorganisms with wastewater from two Nigerian traditional food processing activities (locust Bean Processing and Sorghum processing) as the energy source. The fuel cells were operated in batch mode, with aerobic, instead of anaerobic anode chamber. Carbon felt rolled into cylindrical shapes were used for both electrodes and a Nafion® 117 (Dupont Co., USA) proton exchange membrane was used. The highest voltage (172.3 mV) was reached using Locust bean wastewater as the anolyte. A directly proportional relationship was observed between current density and power generation. These initial results demonstrate that wastewater from traditional food processing activities can be used for power generation in a mediatorless microbial fuel cell with an aerobic anode chamber.